Relationship as the Basis of Engagement between Psychiatric Medicine and Religion

Lynne Vanderpot, PhD, LMHC, Author, The Brien Center

Patients show an irreducible need to be seen, known and responded to, a need traditionally noticed and met by religion. It is easy to recognize the importance of relationships in talk therapy, given that it serves as the vehicle by which treatment is received. In pharmacotherapy, relationships are often overlooked. This talk centers on three key points:​ 1) Patients have a spiritual need for connection, which makes relationships around medication a significant factor in the course and outcome of treatment. Researchers and practitioners are starting to pay more attention to this.

2) Relationships serve as the basis of engagement between psychiatric medicine, and two themes central to religion: the path toward connection, and the search for meaning and purpose in experiences of suffering and healing.

3) Certain tenets of the biological paradigm conflict with the spiritual need for connection. Commitment to this framework undermines the importance of the prescribing relationship, effectively weakening the ability of medicine and religion to engage.

To illustrate these points, sample data will be used from a qualitative research study completed in 2015, exploring the interrelationship between spirituality and psychiatric medication.